


certain strange finalities

by Anonymous



Category: Vinland Saga (Manga)
Genre: Brother/Brother Incest, Implicit Future Character Death, M/M, Rated Teen for subject matter, Sibling Incest, breaking up, to myself, written as a challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 11:22:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21427408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: A separation.
Relationships: Gunnar/Ragnar (Vinland Saga)
Kudos: 2
Collections: Anonymous





	certain strange finalities

**Author's Note:**

> felt the urge to go for the trifecta of vincest saga tragically separated brocons but was hampered by ragnar being a good person. in honor of his sacrifice i won't be tagging him or inaugurating a Ragnar & Canute (Vinland Saga) tag with this.

The lines have grown long on both their faces, drawn out further by the lamplight that draws shadows ever deeper as the night goes on. And it is late, tonight. They are alone for the first time in a while.

"Gunnar." Ragnar holds up a hand. "I have cautioned you before."

Gunnar steps back. "So you have, brother. I thought your mood improved, but if I was wrong—"

Ragnar looks to the window, covered against the world. "You know this is no passing mood."

"Your thoughts have changed of late, then." He is asking no great closeness this night, after all. Only a moment of Ragnar's time.

"Not so late as you might think. I took refuge in my hope that you would understand my distance, without the need for confrontation."

"You are changed indeed, if you see need to take any refuge from me."

"I have only come to see that there are many things that should not pass between brothers. Words of war." Ragnar looks suddenly, unutterably tired. "Other words."

"There are a great many words you must wish un-passed."

"The Lord forgives us the trespasses of our youth, Gunnar. He asks only that we offer up our prayers."

"I see." Gunnar nods stiffly. "I shall indeed offer a prayer of thanks that King Sweyn has given you the child I could not."

"Gunnar!" Ragnar's voice is thunder. "You will not sully his Highness's name by so much as _thinking_ it during a discussion of this nature. You wished certain things of me, and I believed my indulgence was something to your benefit. Now I see it was not. I trusted too much in earthly happiness, and forgot that there are laws laid down by one wiser than ourselves."

"Meanwhile you scheme against the very king who embodies these laws." 

"I am not speaking of any worldly ruler."

His brother struggles more than he used to as he rises from his stool. Getting old, and he's doing it alone. He crosses the room and Gunnar stays rooted, watching him go. The distance grown between them might be that of heaven to earth.

Ragnar speaks again as he reaches the door, softly now and slowly. "Despite his age, his Highness is a yet a child. With all he has been forced to see in his short life, he remains so innocent. I cannot bear to stand before him as one more sinner in this court of demons." Turning one last time, he looks right at Gunnar. "The Lord does permit us to change, my brother. He wishes for it our whole life long. Our past—my mistakes—they will not be held against you in His presence. Show that you regret them. Pray to heal, pray for his forgiveness, and it will be granted."

Pick and choose his loyalties as he may, Ragnar has always been naive in his trust of rulers. But Gunnar knows the Lord demands as much as any mortal tyrant ever could. His greatest cruelty is that unlike a king of men, who may be flattered and cajoled, He accepts no prayers that are not sincere.


End file.
